A group of Australian academics, unionists, politicians, and others have urged the US to “stop interfering in Venezuela’s domestic affairs”. More than 70 prominent Australian progressives issued an open letter to US President Barack Obama condemning US sanctions against Venezuela on April 9.

The letter, initiated by the Venezuelan Solidarity Campaign in Melbourne, is printed below. The letter was handed to US consulates in Sydney and Melbourne on April 10.

No more coups! No more interventions! Repeal the Executive Order!

Dear Mr President,

We, the undersigned individuals and organisations, reject your March 9 declaration deeming Venezuela as an “unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States”.

We also oppose the sanctions your administration has placed on a number of Venezuelan state officials and call for the immediate repeal of your Executive Order on Venezuela.

The reality is that Venezuela today is not at war with any nation, nor does it have military bases outside its borders. In fact, Venezuela is helping to mediate an end to the war in Colombia and has constantly championed peace in the region.

President Nicolas Maduro of Venezuela began his visit to Panama City for the Summit of the Americas with a visit to the impoverished neighbourhood of El Chorrillo to lay a wreath at the monument to those killed by the US bombing of the community during the 1989 US invasion of Panama.

The seventh Summit of the Americas, held in Panama City on April 10 and 11, was widely hailed as a victory for left-leaning and progressive forces in the region, particularly Venezuela and Cuba.

The summit involved all nations in the region, with this year’s marked by the historic presence of Cuba for the first time. Cuban President Raul Castro addressed the summit and held face to face talks with hues US counterpart Barack Obama ― the first Cuban leader to do so since the socialist nation’s US-imposed expulsion from the Organization of American States in 1962.

United States president Barrack Obama signed a new executive order on 9 March declaring “a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela”.

The order escalates US aggression against Venezuela to a level not seen since the April 2002 coup. At that time, the United States, together with the domestic right wing opposition, staged a coup that was defeated within 48 hours by a people’s uprising in alliance with pro-government military units.

The executive order places Venezuela on the same level as Iran, Syria and North Korea. It provides the US president the authority to launch military action at any time.

The US government is behind the destabilization plans and attempted coup in Venezuela. They are working internationally to create the necessary conditions, using active spokespeople operating on behalf of the government and from Congress. They are working together with the corporate media and other players that are active against our country.

Alfonse de Gil – Bolivarian Circle member recently returned from Venezuela

Federico Fuentes – author and AVSN co-founder

Plus live music and video tribute to Chavez. Food and drinks available on the night

DON’T FORGET to join us on Thursday March 5, 6pm at the Plaza Iberoamericano (Chalmers Street, next to Central Station) for a short vigil to mark the second anniversary of the passing away of Hugo Chavez and then a toast at a nearby pub.

Following months of organisation and planning, the Australia-Venezuela Solidarity Network’s 15th Solidarity Brigade touched down in Maiquetía International Airport in Caracas on December 1, 2014 at a highly important time for the Bolivarian revolution. With imperialism increasing its efforts to undermine the revolution and exacerbate internal weaknesses, and with the Venezuelan people still reeling from the blow of the premature death of former president Hugo Chavez, international solidarity is needed like never before to maintain the revolutionary advances made by and for the Venezuelan people.

The 2014 brigade, which was made up of activists of Australian, New Zealand and Malaysian nationalities, spent two weeks in Venezuela, during which time it fulfilled all three of its objectives. These were:

Learn about the truth of the Bolivarian revolution and the state of the country not reported in the capitalist press. Observe with our own eyes the impressive and numerous social advances since the electoral victory of Hugo Chavez in 1998. Speak with and listen to the people of Venezuela about how their lives have changed thanks to the revolution, but also about what problems they are currently confronting and attempting to solve.

Express international solidarity with the Venezuelan people and through the visit of the brigade, show them that across the globe movements that struggle to create an alternative, progressive world are focused on Venezuela, taking inspiration and hope out of its victories, and thereby impart to Venezuelans the importance of defending their advances for the benefit of not just the people of Venezuelans, but the peoples of the world.

Create concrete solidarity links to facilitate flows of information, exchanges and joint projects in the future, giving real meaning to the term ‘international solidarity’ through actions.